5 Playdate-Perfect Stores Where Moms Can Shop While Kids Play

You know how there are some days where you'd love to get together with your kids' friends and their moms for a playdate, but the thought of letting them see your house makes you shudder? From the partially folded laundry devouring your dining room table to the syrupy coating on your counters, there are just some circumstances that leave you not exactly in the running to be hostess with the mostest.

That doesn't mean you can't organize a playdate, however, even if it's raining outside. And no, I'm not going to offer you speed cleaning tips. You simply tell your playmates to meet you at your favorite store! It's brilliant really -- you get to do a little shopping, and the kids get to play in a climate-controlled environment with their friends amidst shiny new things to distract them. Of course some stores lend themselves to such activities better than others. Here are five of my favorite stores for playdates:

Pottery Barn Kids

There are kitchen sets to explore, puzzles to solve, and comfy rockers and furniture for moms to try out while supervising the fun. They also often hold in-store entertainment events for kids, which are fun if you can hit those.

IKEA

Hello, you can drop them off in the play zone! And there's a restaurant there too, which means moms can actually have a meal in peace if they so choose.

Home Depot

The aisles are wide, the ceilings are high, and there's just so much to explore. They also have fun workshops on Saturdays in which kids get to do all sorts of fun projects.

Petco

It's almost like a zoo, with no admission price.

Target

They have everything, and you can chat and shop while the kids roam the aisle. Organize a scavenger hunt if you're extra ambitious. Bonus: Many of them have Starbucks and snack bars to boot.